Searchlight



R. H. HOL'MAN AND J. MAcGREGOR.

SEARCHLIGHT. APPLICATION FILED JULY 5,1917.

Patented June 28, 192 1.

U'NKTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH BI. HOL'MIAN, 0F STONEHAM, AND JOHN MACGREGDR. 0F BOSLINDALE, MASSA (SHUSETTS.

SEARCHLIGHT.

Bpecifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1921.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, RALPH l-l. Herman and JOHN MAoGanooa, United States, and residents, respectively,of Stoneham, in the county of Middlesex, and Roslindale, in the county of Suffolk, and State of lllassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Searchlights, of which the following is a specification.

()ur invention relates to search lights and has specific reference to means whereby the rays of light issuing therefrom may be antomatically controlled.

When a search light is employed on a vehicle, such as an automobile, car or other conveyance, for instance, and the moneyance is on a smooth level road or way, it is a comparatively simple matter to so control the light rays issuing from the search or head light that the driver in an approaching vehicle is not seriously incolr venienced by the rays; and the means commonly employed. to control the light rays is to so bend or deflect the upwardly inclined rays that they are projected in a direction parallel to the ground and so away from an oncoming driver, or to so weaken or disperse the upwardly inclined rays that they do not inconvenience the driver or other observer.

In practice. however, the smooth, level road or Way is of extremely rare occurrence and when the vehicle is traveling at even a moderate rate of speed,the small depressions and projections in such apparently smooth, level way are sufficient to cause said vehicle to toss and sway, and to throw the otherwise parallel or downwardly inclined rays of light upward and into the eyes of the driver of an oncoming vehicle or a pedestrian. to cause him to be blinded thereby, with the result that an accident may occur. The tossing or swaying and pitchii'ig of the. vehicle even though apparently small. and on an apparently smooth level road or way is so continual and of such magnitude, being enhanced by the leverage of the long beam of projected light, that the eii'ect of the fixedcontrol of the light rays, by bending the rays downward or by dispersion or other means, is nullified and the. effect on the oncoming driver or observer is as though no attempt hasbeen made to control the light rays. Inasmuch as the majority of ways traveled over by the average automocitizens of the log the rays of light below the horizontal plane and away from the eyes of the driver in an oncoming vehicle or other observer.

Consequently the object of our invention 1s to provide means associated with a search light on a vehicle'or conveyance whereby the rays of light issuing from said search light are maintained in a predetermined direction regardless of a movement of said vehicle or conveyance.

The means by which we obtain the object of our invention is to provide the reflector of the head light with a pivotal connection with the shell of the head light or the support therefor, and so dispose said pivotal connection with respect to the mass of the reflector that the reflector tends to maintain its predetermined position regardless of a movement of the head light or vehicle to which the head light may be attached.

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section of a head light embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a plan view of the reflector show-- ing the counterbalance weight.

Fig. at is a sectional View of an adjustable reflector limit stop. 3 i

Fig. 5 is a seetionahdetailof a pivotal bearing.

As, here shown, the search, orhead light includes the outer shell or casing 19 which may be secured in any convenient manner not necessarily shown, to an automobile or other vehicle or conveyance,.and said shell is provided with a door 11 in which issecured aglass plate 12 through which the light from the search light isadnpted to pass, as is common practice.

' The reflector 13 is pivotally mounted 1 sllcli in bearings hereinafter willed, disposed in diametrically opposilia i'elelzionv with respect to mid to ileclor and so related to the center of mass of the reflector that the axis of the reflector lends 4: maintain 2i horizontal plane'regeix w. loss of n'iovcment of the Searchlight.

'llie reflector may be of any suitable shape or form, parabolic or .iberfwise, and as here sliowu, 'fo "med "with that part below Elie horizontal axis of a parabolic curve, by means of which the rays of light issuing fi'oin the incandescentfilament of the electric liglil; or bulb 16 adapted to be disposed somewhat .to the rear of the focuswof the said curve. reflected in a d wmvard. disection, while that part 17, disposed above the horizontal axis is of ofiher than pamlmlii) (:JJKVS: form whereby the rays of light from The bulb 16 are also reflected in a downward rlii ciiiim. This disposition of reflector with up'pcu and lower reflecting suqrizuacs of cliilering cliamcteiistics constifiutes a means lieyii'ig; provision for the fixed control of be light rays, it being understood that ii; is practically impossible to focus the parabolic reflector commonly employed. so as no pievenl; the upward reflection of 9! port of the light rays.

Bu 6 is disposed in a. socket 18 slidably arranged eloog the axis of the reflector in' u tube 19, whereby the light may be focused respect to the reflector, and said bulb adapted to be maintained in set position by mean of set sci W 20 threaded in tube Fl le connecting lczl ds 21 serve to connect t .e terminals of the bulb l6 and said leads. bci'e shown, extend through a bush- ?333 in elm. outer lamp shell 10 to an external ("H.ll'Qiil/ source. The reflector may be consi .lcrc l 0 be the source of light for the search ligiib.

The bearings. by means of which the redoctor is pivotelly mounted with respect to ilie head l'glila, are disposed. in a plane at rigrl'ub angle. to the axis of the reflector and include the pins 23 secured in diamet 'iciilly opposed relation on the reflector. Pins are fomned vilh tapered or conical ends, and fit within correspondingly formed recesses in the bemiings or standards 24 and 25, which are secured to the shell 10 of the scan-cl: light. The conical ends of pins are Formed wieli it slightly smaller angle than have llio correspondingly tapered seat or bem-ingf pm'lions in. the standards 23 and )5 as shown more clearly in. 5, so time i'lio contact betweenlilie pins and the l the point only. The small s zwecn the tapered ends of the .csiis ai'c zulupied to rei ain 1. servos to float the pins Airings, and. as the pins are adept nitric? ill their points only so )Stll'li-iiillff friceionless bearing in nu icl in {new 1;: cu lo male": provide bi. so

memes support for the l'bflGfitOl, whereby said 1e flector and shell are adapted for independent relative movement.

one of said standards 25 is provided with a block .37 slidably arranged in an annular slot. or recess 28 in said standard and in which is disposed the tapered bearing sealfor the pins 23. Said block is maintained in contest with said pin Q3 by means of 0. spring 29 and said spring pressed block forms means edmiiting of the removal or insertion of the reflector from or into the bearings in. the head light in that the removal of the reflector is accomplisheiil by so moving said reflector that the spring pressed block is forced farther into its slot thereby permit-ting the withdrawal of one of said pins 23 from its bearing in standard 24 where upon the second pin 23 may be Witlulrawn from its bearing in the block 27 and the re flee-tor removed from the head light. The insertion of the reflector in its bearings is accomplished by the reverse operation.

The tapered bearing: surfaces in the standar-ds E24 and. 25 are disposed at the end oi concentrically arranged recesses therein and are adapted to surround the ends of pins 323 to restrain said pins from displacement from their bearings by the shocks to which the search light may be subjected and said recesses are of a diameter greater than the pins 23 in order that said pins may not be in contact with the walls of said recesses and cause increased resistance to relative motion thereby. The spring 29 is made of sufficient strength to be uncompressed by said shocks to release the reflector from its bearings. The spring pressed bearing formed by the block 27 also provides a reccss whereby any Wear in the bearings is continually con'ipenssted for and the pins 23 maintained in conseent contact with its bearings.

A Weight 31, here shown as of triangular SlYiIJQ, is secured by soldering, or riveting, or by other means, to the llDllPI side of the reflector and said weight is of such mass, and disposed on the reflector in such a position, with respect to the bearings, that said weight acting in conjunction with the weight of the reflector tends to maintain said reflector in :1- pi'edetel'mimed posiiion regardless of a movement of the hood light; although the bearings may be so disposed.

thee the disposition of the mass of the re ilector alone may be suflicient for this purpose.

In order to prevent the contact of the edge of the reflector with the shell limit stops are provided and said stops comprise flanged men'iliei's 37 adapted to be secured to the shell 10 and provided with threaded open ings 38 therein in which the stop members 39 are adjustzibly threaded. The bead portion of eeci'i member ,39 is formed with c I recess 40 in which is fitted a resilient block 41 and whichis adapted to receive the shocks of impact of the reflector in an-extreme relative movement of reflector and shell.

The disposition of the reflector with respect to the shell of the head light is such that the horizontal axes of the search light and reflector coincide. \Vhen however, the head light is so moved that its axis is displaced from the horizontal plane to some position such as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, the relation of the center of mass of the reflector and the pivotal support therefor is such that the reflector is undisturbed by such movement and continues to maintain its predetermined position regardless of any movement of the head light to a position away from normal. We claim 2-- 1. In combination, in an automobile headlight, an outer shell fixed to the automobile, a reflector inclosed thereby, and a light emitting front plate'in the outer shell, all arranged to direct rays of light downwardly onto the roadbed, means pivotally connecting the reflector with the shell admitting of its unrestricted movement with in limits and adj hstable means to limit the free relative movement between said shell and reflector, and means to automatically maintain the rays of light downwardly directed onto the roadbed as the automobile passes thereover.

2. In combination, an automobile headlight, an outer shell fixed to the automobile, a reflector received therein, and a light emitting front plate in the outer shell, all

arranged to direct rays of light downwardly In testimony whereof we have signed our names to tlns specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH H. HOLMAN. JOHN MACGREGOR. Witnesses:

H. B. DAVIS, T. T. GREENWOOD- 

